Denotative Meaning Semiotic analysis on THE AXE Hillary, “Imagine the power of AXE”.
62
United States of America which is at 42. And she was twice to be capital mother since 1993 - 2001. Before it, she was a lawyer.
48
The dominant image is Hillary Clinton, this picture happened at 2008, the Obama pin and the written text at upper left side © 2008
Unilever. It announces this is about party campaign. And January 2007, Hillary Rodham Clinton herself declared to be the one of the president
candidates of United State of America which is from Democrat party; it happened after Barrack Obama, the other candidate from Illinois Senator,
did.
49
As the many assumptions, Obama was from the representative of black people.
b . Connotative Meaning
The interpretation of the extension of signifiedC
2
is going to involve the image elements above; there are some elements which are Hillary
Rodham Clinton as prominent woman figure, the background of American flag, AXE product with its tagline, “Imagine the power of AXE”, at the up
left side © 2008 Unilever and the taken picture is from down stair to up stair. Based on the object, context, and text in this advertisement, the
writer will attempt to analyze them carefully. The first is the prominent figure, Hillary Rodham Clinton. As well-
known, she is one of the president candidates in United States of America where America is known as the super power, and great state. In this
48
http:id.wikipedia.orgwikiHillary Clinton
49
Ibid.
63
advertisement image context, AXE Company takes Hillary Rodham Clinton as the figure image to show to consumers about AXE Company
Unilever produces AXE perfume as Hillary Rodham Clinton consumption productC
2
. It is strengthened with the image shown and the tagline, “Imagine the power of AXE”.
Afterwards, Hillary as the prominent figure, the background, and the tagline are the smart composition of this advertisement to influence
consumers, their states of mind. The consumers will assume that the AXE product has made Hillary in this context to be a woman who has a power.
To make clearer, Hillary as the woman figure who campaigns new party and she has a power to control the people voices. It is manipulated by
AXE Company to change this power. In this image, the power of Hillary is caused by the AXE effect, and then the signifiedC
2
is added by the tagline “Imagine the power of AXE”.
The background American flag has its role to strengthen the extension of signifiedC
2
about the power effect of AXE perfume. At the first time, Hillary lives in America, she declares her intention to be the
president candidate of America, and of course she is the representative of American people. But now in this advertisement, the background flag is
placed behind Hillary; it indicates that American flag is to be the background life of Hillary power. And the Hillary power is caused the
AXE effect with added by the taglineC
2
.
64
In addition, how if this image is interpreted by black people? This image is a kind of white skin legitimating. Hillary in this image is the
representative of white people and the Obama 2008 pin is the representative of black people. She looks happy with her position, but the
interpreter assumes the different statement about Obama who is represented by a pin is just the second people. Black people argue that this
advertisement image is for white people as the majority people in America. And black people seem to be as same pin as Obama 2008 pin, to
be second people, by representing pin only, not appearing the figure of the black peopleC
2
. In other hand, feminists will have different assumption.
50
They will interpret that Hillary is the representation of women; women also have
capability to compete in the party events as public place for voting the president of America as the super power and great country. Feminists will
say Hillary is the hope of women to have position in any kind of issues in public place. Hillary is a woman figure. She seems happy with her smiling
to be a woman. Feminists interpret that a woman may be independent and power full as Hillary which is thought as the representative woman of
feministsC
2
. Actually, this advertisement is not showing the Hillary power as
main point. An AXE Company which uses advertisement as its tools to
50
Feminists are about the gender issues. As simple example, feminists said that the woman discrimination about domestic place, political issue which woman is not a part of people state, and
sex is defined as form of mothering children and staying at home. Those issues are transformed to the definition of woman.
65
create the strategies to promote the AXE perfume product uses the symbolic and sign values to change the state of consumer mind. A
Unilever Company takes Hillary as the woman who has power in America to manipulate consumers to think about which is strengthened by the
tagline “Imagine the power of AXE”. The AXE effect is not just a perfume product; it has something more, it makes Hillary smile, be powerful, and
independentC
2
. And also, the taken photo from down to up stair and the light comes in the right position of Hillary add the connotation process of
consumers to believe the AXE effect. From those connotations, there is something unique, at the up left
side with the small words, © 2008 Unilever. It indicates the producer which makes all those composition elements to be interesting
advertisementC
2
. This company creates the symbolic and sign values to promote the products to consumers to consume or to buy the products. It is
really creative advertisement, taking the advantages of the political party at the voting of president candidate of America is manipulated by Unilever
Company to gain the consumers trust. If this connotation process stays for long time, it will be a myth. The
myth in this image is every woman may have the capability or power to compete in public place for example in political party. And also the AXE
effect is not just a perfume product; it may give something more like the AXE effect make Hillary standing and smiling as the image above, to be
66
independent, powerful woman. And the code operation which sent by is in this image hermeneutic, semantic, symbolic, narrative, and cultural codes.
Hermeneutic code is the operation message to gain the answer about the image. In this code, Hillary is shown as woman with her figure and
voice in America may influence every woman to be as what Hillary shows in this image, be independent woman, a woman who has a power and
voice, and all those connotative processes are caused by the creative advertisement image of AXE perfume product, Unilever which creates the
symbolic and sign values. Semantic code is in this image talking about the connotative figure.
Hillary looks loyal with her organization, Democrat Party, where she as the principle wants to compete to be the president candidate.
Symbolic code is the Obama 2008 pin which tied on her coat. In this code, black people and white people will assume that it is not only the
president candidate; but also it is about the identity. In other hand, women feminists who are happy with the Hillary shown will argue to men about
the capability foundation. Cultural code is the background life or knowledge about Hillary
Rodham Clinton. As well-known, she is one of the president candidates in United States of America where America is known as the super power, and
great state. Before it, she was a lawyer and next time became junior senator of America from New York and she got married with Bill Clinton,
the president of United States of America which is at 42. And she was
67
twice to be capital mother since 1993 - 2001. Those are taken by AXE Company to promote to the consumers. AXE Company takes the
advantages of this figure to persuade the consumers, their state of mind.